ATLANTA-
Less than a year after opening, the world’s largest aquarium is getting a multimillion dollar makeover.
The Georgia Aquarium broke ground this month on $13 million worth of improvements on a facility that has hosted more than 3 million visitors since it opened last November.
Officials say the upgrades show their commitment to keeping the aquarium–a $250 million gift from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus–a world-class attraction for years to come.
“This is what you want to be concerned about as a professional in this type of field–that you don’t get stale and you don’t let your facility run down,” said aquarium director Jeff Swanagan.
Among the upgrades will be a 7,000-square foot expansion to the aquarium’s ballroom area, where over 700 events like weddings and banquets already have been held, and the addition of bathrooms designed specifically for nursing mothers and people with disabilities.
A walkway from the aquarium’s parking deck will be upgraded to provide better protection from weather, 26,000 square feet of office and storage space for staff will be added and 16 new pumps will filter water more quickly in the aquarium’s massive Ocean Voyager exhibit.
A display of Asian small-clawed otters, one of the aquarium’s most popular, will be redesigned to make it more visible to children and people in wheelchairs.
The display’s water level will be lowered and a new shelf for the otters will be installed.
“It’s going to end up being a much better exhibit for everyone–the otters included,” Swanagan said.
The overhaul will be funded by proceeds at the aquarium, where attendance has far outstripped predictions. No government money was used to build the attraction, which sits across from Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park and has provided a huge tourism boost for Atlanta’s downtown.
Swanagan said the restoration should be barely noticeable to visitors, with much of the work being done after hours or next spring, after the holiday tourism season is over.
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